Biochemical Slang is for the Kids: WORD GAMES

The Jackson 5 - Children of the Light

Words can be powerful tools. Tools of communication. Tools of argument. Tools of negotiation. Tools of coercion. TOOLS. Tools that can manipulate and be manipulated.

The State of the Union Address is an anomaly to me. A necessary speech with unremarkable outcomes, full of we've-heard-it-all-befores and statements-of-the-obvious. What becomes more interesting to me are the WORDS that are carefully chosen to deliver this message of monotony. Now take that monotony and make a game of it, for the whole family!

Check out this NYTIMES graphic. Watch as words and phrases such as social security, economy/ic, Afghanistan, freedom, and Medicare have slowly faded from the State of the Union vernacular. All the while, words such as Iran and oil have increased in frequency. Hmmmmmm. This is more than just subliminal.

See if you and the kids can find words that were not even uttered. Notable ABSENCES include KATRINA (even in the 2006 State of the Union). Tell the kids Bush didn't mention EDUCATION and RACISM. Make a game of it! Try to find MORE words that DUBBZ doesn't care about!

I know this has been a Bush-centered week, but it's just too easy.